Godslayer's Legacy: THE PATH TO SUPREMACY

The candidates stood in the grand Hall of Mirrors, a room unlike any other in the Royal Academy. The walls were lined with massive, intricately polished mirrors that reflected not only the physical but, as Rui would soon discover, the very essence of a person. The air felt heavier here, charged with an intangible energy that seemed to press against their thoughts.

An instructor stepped forward, her sharp features and flowing silver robes giving her an aura of unyielding authority. Her eyes scanned the gathered children, lingering momentarily on Rui before she began to speak.

"Welcome to the second trial," she said, her voice crisp and measured. "The Mind's Measure. This trial will test not your physical strength or your core's resonance, but the resilience and acuity of your mind. Mana may be the foundation of magic, but it is the mind that wields it. Without discipline, focus, and ingenuity, power is nothing more than chaos."

The room remained silent, the candidates absorbing her words. Rui's gaze shifted to the mirrors, their surfaces shimmering faintly as if alive. He could sense the faint hum of mana in the air, subtle yet pervasive.

"This trial," the instructor continued, "will confront you with illusions crafted by these mirrors. Each one tailored to challenge your fears, your doubts, and your understanding of yourself. To pass, you must maintain clarity of thought and prove your ability to adapt under pressure. Succeed, and you move forward. Fail, and you are dismissed."

A ripple of tension spread through the room. Rui noticed some candidates exchanging uneasy glances, while others, like Caelum Draven and the girl from House Lynthar, remained composed, their confidence unshaken.

"You will enter one by one," the instructor said, gesturing to the mirrors. "When your name is called, step forward and face your reflection. The mirror will guide you."

One by one, the candidates were called forward. Each approached a mirror, their reflections shimmering before they vanished into the glass. The room grew quieter as the remaining children watched the mirrors intently, waiting for each person to emerge.

Rui observed the first few attempts. Some candidates returned quickly, their expressions triumphant but weary, while others stumbled out, their faces pale and shaken. A few did not return at all, their absence a stark reminder of the trial's stakes.

When Amara Velare was called, the tension in the room sharpened. She stepped forward with a calm grace, her crimson robes swaying as she approached the mirror. The glass rippled like water as she touched it, and then she was gone.

The room waited in silence. Minutes passed, then ten. Finally, the mirror shimmered, and Amara stepped back into the room. Her expression was unreadable, but her fiery aura seemed subdued, as if the trial had left a mark even on someone of her caliber.

The next few names blurred together until Leoray Valden was called. His approach was deliberate, his amethyst robes catching the faint light of the mirrors. He entered, and like Amara, took his time. When he returned, his confident smirk was intact, though his gaze seemed sharper, more focused.

"Rui Kirean," the instructor called, her voice cutting through the murmurs.

Rui stepped forward, his silver eyes locking onto the mirror directly ahead of him. The surface shimmered as he approached, the faint hum of mana growing louder in his ears. He reached out, his fingers brushing the cool surface, and felt a pull—gentle yet irresistible.

The world around him shifted.

Rui found himself standing in an endless void, the darkness broken only by a faint, silvery glow that seemed to emanate from within him. Ahead, his own reflection stood, watching him with an intensity that felt almost alive.

"You seek understanding," the reflection said, its voice identical to his own. "But are you prepared to face the cost?"

Before Rui could respond, the void began to change. The glow around him intensified, morphing into a blinding light that consumed the space. Images appeared, flickering like memories—his family, the estate, the awakening ceremony. Each one lingered briefly before shattering like glass.

Then came the voices.

"You carry a burden too great for one so young."

"Strength without control is destruction."

"Even tempered mana can break."

The voices echoed, overlapping until they became a deafening roar. Rui clenched his fists, his silver eyes narrowing as he forced himself to focus. The images and voices were illusions—designed to distract, to unsettle. But he would not yield.

"Is this all you have?" Rui said, his voice steady despite the chaos around him. "Fear, doubt, and noise?"

The void trembled, the illusions faltering. His reflection smiled faintly. "Clarity. Good. But clarity alone is not enough."

The scene shifted again, this time to a battlefield. Rui stood in the center, surrounded by enemies whose faces were familiar—noble children from the awakening ceremony, rivals from his past. Each charged at him, their attacks relentless. Rui felt the weight of his mana stir within him, but he resisted the urge to unleash it recklessly.

"Control," he muttered to himself. "Precision."

He moved with purpose, evading strikes and countering with calculated force. The illusions began to dissolve one by one, their forms breaking apart like mist. When the last enemy fell, the void returned, and his reflection stood before him once more.

"You have potential," it said. "But potential is only the beginning. Remember that."

With those words, the void shattered, and Rui found himself back in the Hall of Mirrors. He stepped away from the glass, his breathing steady but his mind alight with questions.

The instructor watched him closely, her expression unreadable. After a moment, she gave a single nod. "Pass."

As the trial continued, Rui rejoined the other candidates who had passed. Amara and Leoray stood nearby, their gazes flicking toward him briefly before returning to the mirrors. Rui met their eyes with quiet resolve, his own thoughts already turning to the next challenge.